Lots of people are creating content on social media. Every day we see new posts, comments, likes. In fact, over 720,000 hours of videos get uploaded to Youtube every single day. And it's good.
Social media helps us boost our brand nowadays. People will more likely notice us and become our subscribers or customers. But there are no benefits without risks.
Scammers. We see them every day. When it comes to social media, they are usually down to desperate people's videos, posts, tweets, and comments. When you see a post with a desperate text for example "I published a new video, please I need subscribers!", then almost down every of that kind of post, there are people who seem to offer a quick and fast way to get more views. Usually, these posts are provided with links you have never heard of.
DO NOT CLICK ON SUSPICIOUS LINKS!!
These things can steal your information, install malware, basically anything there is to do. Scammers will all tell you basically the same thing: "Contact me, transfer money and I will give you likes/views, etc.”
Do not click any of these links unless you aren't sure where it will transfer you to and what are the consequences.
For example, let´s look at this comment I found from a Facebook group called “SUB4SUB” This is translated from Hindi to English.
As you can see, the link is a Whatsapp one. So from that point of view, we are good. But when you read the post over and over again, it seems with every reading more and more like a scheme for scamming you.
I haven´t joined this Whatsapp group, so I can´t be 100% sure, but even doubt is enough for me not to click on it. It may be some simple Whatsapp group, but it´s better to stay away from these kinds of places. Earn Your subscribers organically, don´t talk with strange people who are asking you for your money.
I have a blog so you can grow your channel or business on Youtube risk-free.The link is here:What you saw here is also related to the article. I am posting my full link, instead of hiding it in some keyword. You can see before clicking that you enter a site by Google Sites.
How to Identify Scammers on Social Media?
So, by now you know that you shouldn´t write with suspicious people or click on links you haven't heard of. But how to actually identify is there a chance that the post or link is a scam or not?
There is a small checklist, The post or account might be a scam if:
It seems too good to be true
Like I said above: If something is so good that you can´t believe it, it may be a scam. Whether it would be a quick offer to get more views/followers, social media “ads” for clothes, and more.
Someone you don´t know suddenly contacts with you
This you can check out by yourself as well. If you have Messenger, go to your profile and select Message requests. You should find contacts from there who don´t know, but all of them offer you something, post links. I have 12+ messages, all from users called “Facebook users” with no profile picture, and the only thing they send is a link.
You have been asked to transfer money quickly
Every once in a while we see those posts in the comment section, where someone in broken English wants our help to save their family with a donation. Though it may seem true at first, with proper reading ability and a bit of logical thinking you can difference the scammers and people in need.
How can you report scams on social media?
Fortunately, though, you can send the scam posts to the app, whether it would be Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, etc. team by reporting a post. You can also protect yourself by blocking the user, but before blocking the user, I recommend reporting him.
This will prevent scammers from scamming on the platform. Even with some reports done, there are probably thousands of these accounts or people who scam others online. But reporting a scammer is important. Government agencies use reports of scams to track scam patterns. So every report counts, maybe someday we can stop this or at least stop people falling to these.
What if you have been scammed?
When you have been scammed, report it anyways. Let the platform or international organizations know. You can report international scams online at https://econsumer.gov/.
The site is available in English, French, German, Korean, Japanese, Polish, Spanish, and Turkish. The site is hosted by U.S Federal Trade Commission.
Reporting to third parties may restore things. For example, if you shared your card information because of a scam, contact the bank. They may get your money back if you do it quick enough. The same applies to online sellers.
Check out my blog about creating a Youtube channel. There you will find all tips, tricks, and recommendations needed for starting a successful Youtube channel. The blog updates every 2 days, all posts filled with useful, must-know information. How to gain views? What are the copyrighting laws? What is the best software for video editing? All that and much more coming in Dates´ blog link:
Conclusion
There are no benefits without risks. In social media, there are people who work really hard to come up with new ideas to get your money. Stay woke, don´t click on suspicious links. Report every scam you see or fall. Every report matters. When something feels too good to be true, it probably isn´t.
Article By: Mark Dates
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